About two lakh traders of the capital Bhopal have got a big relief regarding the license fee. On the orders of the Municipal Corporation Commissioner, in-charge Minister Bhupendra Singh has stopped collection of the fee. At present, the license fee will not be charged from the traders according to the width of the road. In-charge Minister Singh issued orders in the evening. The traders had met the minister in charge a few hours before the order was issued.
About 50 business organisations including BCCI (Bhopal Chamber of Commerce and Industries) had made this demand. On Friday, they also met the in-charge minister Bhupendra Singh regarding this. He had said that when paying property tax to the Municipal Corporation, then why pay this license fee?
In the application submitted to the minister in charge, the traders stated that the Municipal Corporation imposed a new tax fee on the traders in the year 2021. This fee has been calculated at the rate of per square feet and not from the turnover of the business. It is objectionable and impractical to levy such a fee, as the property tax and solid waste tax is already being paid by the building owner to the corporation.
As per the commissioner's order, the license fee is required to be collected along with the property tax, which is wrong. BCCI President Tej Kulpal Singh Pali had demanded immediate removal of the license fee from the minister-in-charge.
In the afternoon, the traders met the minister in charge. A few hours later, Minister Singh issued the orders. He has given orders to the Principal Secretary, Urban Development and Housing Department. Referring to the problems of the traders, it was asked to immediately postpone the order of imposition of increased rates of trade license fee along with property tax.
BCCI President Pali told that earlier this fee was charged from Rs 200 to Rs 18 thousand, but the corporation increased the amount of fee according to the width of the road.
This has put additional burden on traders.